Fluid powered gun



, E BRAUGl-ILER ET AL 3,269,379

FLUID POWERED GUN 2 SheetS-Sheet l Filed June 30, 1964 ug E@ 1%@ E.BRAUGHLER ET A1. BEGQEW FLUID POWERED GUN Filed June 30, 1964 2Sheets-Sheet 2 United States Patent O 3,269,379 FLUID PWERED GUN Guy E.Braughler and Ronald W. IOyce, Rogers, Ark., assignors to DaisyManufacturing Company, Rogers, Arlt., a corporation of Nevada Filed.lune 30, 1964, Ser. No. 379,213 3 Claims. (Cl. 124-11) This inventionrelates generally to fluid powered guns adapted to propel BBs or otherprojectiles and more particularly to an improved feed mechanism for afluid powered gun.

Fluid powered guns heretofore known and used generally utilizerelatively complex propulsion mechanisms having a limited projectilecapacity. Such known guns also are relatively ditlicult to load and theprojectiles difficult to position for semi-automatic discharge.

Accordingly, one object of the present invention is a fluid powered gunhaving a relatively simple propulsion mechanism for propelling BBs,pellets or slugs each time the trigger of the gun is pulled.

Another object of the invention is a fluid powered gun having aprojectile elevator which is automatically charged after each projectileis propelled from the barrel of the gun.

Another object of the invention is an improved feed mechanism for afluid operated gun.

Further objects and advantages of the invention may be apparent from thefollowing specifi-cation, appended claims and accompanying drawings inwhich:

FIGURE l is a side elevational view of an automatic fluid operated gunaccording t-o the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a side elevational view similar to FIG. l, showing the gunhaving a portion thereof broken away and in section;

FIGURE 3 is a side elevational view of the fluid powered gun with thebarrel housing removed, and

FIGURE 4 is a view of the back side of the gun of FIG. 3.

As shown in FIGURES l and 2 of the drawings a fluidoperated gun 10, inaccordance with an exemplary constructed embodiment of the instantinvention, is of pistol configuration including a barrel 12, trigger 14,handle 16 and barrel housing 18. The handle 16 encloses a conventionalgas container 20.

As seen in FIGURE 2 of the drawings, the barrel 12 is supported by aframe member 32. The frame member 32 has a bore 34 in which `a tubularvalve plunger 36 is .slidably mounted. The plunger 36 has an open endportion 38 communicating with a central gas delivery passage 40.

The bore 34, within which the plunger 36 is slidably and reciprocallysupported, intersects a bore 42 wherein a projectile elevator 44 isreciprocally supported. A spring 46 normally biases the elevator 44downwardly against a stop pin 48 whereas the trigger 14 is operable toforce the elevator 44 upwardly away from the pin 48 against the bias ofthe spring 46.

The trigger 14 is pivotally mounted on a pin 50 carried by the frame 32.The trigger has a pawl 52 engageable with a ledge 54 on the elevator 44so that when the trigger 14 is pulled counterclockwise, as seen in FIG.2, the elevator 44 is forced upwardly away from the pin 48. Upon upwardmovement of the elevator 44, an inclined portion 56 thereof passes theend portion 38 of the plunger 36 whereupon forward pressure of theplunger 316 caused by gas pressure acting thereon, as wi-ll bedescribed, causes the end 38 to exert a vertical component of force onthe elevator 44 sufficient to carry the elevator 44 upwardly againstcompression of the spring 46.

As soon as the elevator 44 has moved upwardly into a position wherein aBB holding recess 6@ therein is aligned with a central bore 62 in thebarrel 12, fluid pressure is conducted through a passageway 64 and thecentral bore 4d in the plunger 36 from a chamber 66 surrounding theplunger 36 wherebya BB is propelled outwardly through the bore 62 of thebarrel 12. Fluid under pressure is conducted to the chamber 66 from thecontainer 18, through hollow needle 68.

The central passage 46 of the plunger 36 is normally isolated from thechamber 66 by a valve 70 carried by a reciprocable valve shaft 72. Thevalve shaft 72 is supported in a bore 74 in a packing nut 76 which isthreadably secured to the frame 32.

Fluid pressure in the chamber 66 acts on the valve 70 tending to forceit against an end portion 78 of the plunger 36, closing the bore 40therein and forcing the plunger 36 to the left, as seen in FIG. 2,against the elevator 44. When the elevator 44 moves upwardlysufficiently that the end 38 on the plunger 36 contacts the inclinedsurface 56 on the elevator 44, the valve 70 and plunger 36 travelforwardly until a flange 84) on the shaft 72 contacts the nut 74 therebyabruptly stopping forward motion of the valve shaft 72 and 70. Forwardinertia of the plunger 36 causes it to continue toward the elevator 44thereby separating the hollow cylindrical end 78 thereof from the valve76 and permitting fluid pressure in the chamber 66 to act on the rearend of the plunger 36. Thus plunger 36 continues to be projectedforwardly towards the opening 64 in the elevator 44, gas beingconcomitantly exhausted through the central bore 40 of the plunger 36.The gas passes directly into the recess 66 in the elevator 44 to forcethe BB therein outwardly of the bore 62 in the barrel 12. When Huidpressure in the chamber 138 is exhausted, a spring 82 forces the plunger36 rearwardly causing the open cylindrical end 78 thereof to reengagethe valve 78. Continued flow of fluid through the needle 68 builds uppressure in the chamber 66 while the spring 46 concurrently forces theelevator 44 downwardly into the position shown in FIG. 2 of thedrawings.

As best seen in FIGURES 3 and 4 of the drawings, the fiuid powered gunlil is provided with a feed mechanism comprising an inlet V.aperture ina rear end portion 182 of the frame 32. The aperture 108 is normallyclosed by a cover plate 184.

The aperture 168 communicates with a channel 186 in the frame 32, BBsbeing guided to the channel 106 by a guide plate 108. The BBs move upthe channel 106 onto a ledge 110 on a forward portion of the frame 32.The BBs then pass over the barrel 12 and onto a ledge 112 on theopposite side of the barrel 12 from the ledge 110 (FIG. 4). The BBs thenmove forwardly on the ledge 112 then downwardly around the forward endthereof and rearwardly along an extension 114 of the handle 16. The BBsthen move into a recess 116 in the frame 32 which leads into arearwardly directed bore 118 which is aligned with the recess 60 in theelevator 44 when the elevator 44 is in its lowermost position as shownin FIGURE 2 of the drawings.

As best seen in FIGURES 2 and 3 of the drawings, a feed mechanismplunger 120 is slidably and retractably disposed in the bore 118 and ismovable toward the elevator 44 under the bias of a spring 122. Theplunger 120 biases the BBs in the bore 118 into the recess 6G in theelevator 44.

In order to charge the bore 118 with BBs the plunger 120 is movable awayfrom the elevator 44 by a manual operator 124 against the bi-as of thespring 122 and the 'gun 10 pointed upwardly. BBs then r-ol-l downwardlyinto the bore 118 whereupon the plunger 120 is released. It is to benoted that upon firing of the last BB and end portion 126 of the plunger120 enters the recess 60 in the elevator 44 to preclude actuationthereof. Thus, the plunger 120 functions to indicate that the bore 11Sis empty by preventing trigger actuation as well as to feed BBs to theelevator 44. Further, the aforementioned feed mechanism maximizes the BBcapacity of the fluid powered gun as well as to insure positive feed ofBBs to the propulsion mechanism.

While a preferred embodiment of the present invention has beenillustrated and described in detail, various additions, substitutions,modifications and omissions may be made thereto without departing fromthe spirit of the invention as incorporated by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A lluid powered gun comprising a frame;

a barrel having a bore therethrough and supported on one end of saidframe;

a projectile elevator having a projectile holding recess movable intoalignment with said bore;

a source of fluid pressure; a lluid pressure control valve,

a normally closed hollow fluid pressure plunger, conduit meansconducting fluid fr-om said source for biasing said plunger away fromsaid valve to permit the passage of lluid pressure into said plunger andtowards said elevator upon upward movement of said projectile elevator,

a trigger for moving said projectile elevator upwardly to a position inwhich the recess therein aligns with the bore in said barrel and whereinsaid fluid pressure plunger enters said recess to release fluid pressureinto said bore, spring means for normally biasing said plunger towardssaid valve,

a projectile feed tube communicating with the projectile receivingrecess in said projectile elevator,

a feed plunger in said feed tube normally biased toward the recess insaid elevator for discharging projectiles thereinto,

a projectile storage area located on the opposite side of said feed tubefrom said projectile elevator, and

a projectile feed channel extending from the other end of said frame andcommunicating with said projectile storage area.`

2. A lluid powered gun comprising a frame;

a barrel having a bore therethrough and supported on one end of saidframe;

a projectile elevator having a projectile holding recess movable intoalignment with said bore;

a source of fluid pressure; a iluid pressure control valve,

a normally closed hollow fluid pressure plunger, conduit meansconducting fluid from said source for biasing said plunger away fromsaid valve to permit the passage of lluid pressure into said plunger andtowards said elevator upon upward movement of said projectile elevator,

a trigger for moving said projectile elevator upwardly to a position inwhich the recess therein aligns with the bore in said barrel and whereinsaid fluid pressure plunger enters said recess to release fluid pressureinto said bore, spring means for normally biasing said plunger towardssaid valve,

a projectile feed tube communicating with the projectile receivingrecess in said projectile elevator,

a feed plunger in said feed tube normally biased t-oward the recess insaid elevator for discharging projectiles thereinto,

projectile storage area substantially surrounding said barrel on theopposite end of said feed tube from said projectile elevator, and

a projectile feed channel extending from the other end of said frame tosaid projectile storage area.

A fluid powered gun comprising frame; barrel having a bore therethroughand supported on one end of said frame; a projectile elevator having aprojectile holding recess movable int-o alignment with said bore; sourceof iluid pressure; a fluid pressure control valve, normally closedhollow iluid pressure plunger, conduit means conducting fluid from saidsource for biasing said plunger away from said valve to permit thepassage of lluid pressure into said plunger and towards said elevatorupon upward movement of said projectile elevator, trigger for movingsaid projectile elevator upwardly to a position in which the recesstherein aligns With the bore in said barrel and wherein said lluidpressure plunger enters said recess to release lluid pressure into saidbore, springs means for normally biasing said plunger towards saidvalve,

a projectile feed tube communicating with the projectile receivingrecess in said projectile elevator,

a feed plunger in said feed tube normally biased toward the recess insaid elevator for discharging projectiles thereto,

a projectile storage area located on the opposite vend of said feed tubefrom said projectile elevator,

a projectile feed channel extending from the other end of said frame andcommunicating with said projectile storage area, said feed channel beingdisposed on one side of said barrel and said feed tube communicatingwith said storage area on the other side of said barrel whereby the BBsmove transversely of said barrel within sai-d storage area.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS RICHARD C.PINKHAM, Primary Examiner.

W. R, BROWNE, Assistant Examiner.

1. A FLUID POWERED GUN COMPRISING A FRAME; A BARREL HAVING A BORETHERETHROUGH AND SUPPORTED ON ONE END OF SAID FRAME; A PROJECTILEELEVATOR HAVING A PROJECTILE HOLDING RECESS MOVABLE INTO ALIGNMENT WITHSAID BORE; A SOURCE OF FLUID PRESSURE; A FLUID PRESSURE CONTROL VALVE, ANORMALLY CLOSED HOLLOW FLUID PRESSURE PLUNGER, CONDUIT MEANS CONDUCTINGFLUID FROM SAID SOURCE FOR BIASING SAID PLUNGER AWAY FROM SAID VALVE TOPERMIT THE PASSAGE OF FLUID PRESSURE INTO SAID PLUNGER AND TOWARDS SAIDELEVATOR UPON UPWARD MOVEMENT OF SAID PROJECTILE ELEVATOR, A TRIGGER FORMOVING SAID PROJECTILE ELEVATOR UPWARDLY TO A POSITION IN WHICH THERECESS THEREIN ALIGNS WITH THE BORE IN SAID BARREL AND WHEREIN SAIDFLUID PRESSURE PLUNGER ENTERS SAID RECESS TO RELEASE FLUID PRESSURE INTOSAID BORE, SPRING MEANS FOR NORMALLY BIASING SAID PLUNGER TOWARD SAIDVALVE, A PROJECTILE FEED TUBE COMMUNICATING WITH THE PROJECTILERECEIVING RECESS IN SAID PROJECTILE ELEVATOR, A FEED PLUNGER IN SAIDFEED TUBE NORMALLY BIASED TOWARD THE RECESS IN SAID ELEVATOR FORDISCHARGING PROJECTILES THEREINTO, A PROJECTILE STORAGE AREA LOCATED ONTHE OPPOSITE SIDE OF SAID FEED TUBE FROM SAID PROJECTILE ELEVATOR, AND APROJECTILE FEED CHANNEL EXTENDING FROM THE OTHER END OF SAID FRAME ANDCOMMUNICATING WITH SAID PROJECTILE STORAGE AREA.